Fuel injectors are commonly employed in internal combustion engines to provide precise metering of fuel for introduction into each combustion chamber. Additionally, the fuel injector atomizes the fuel during injection, breaking the fuel into a large number of very small particles, increasing the surface area of the fuel being injected and allowing the oxidizer, typically ambient air, to more thoroughly mix with the fuel prior to combustion. The precise metering and atomization of the fuel reduces combustion emissions and increases the fuel efficiency of the engine.
An electro-magnetic fuel injector typically utilizes a solenoid assembly to supply an actuating force to a fuel metering valve. Typically, the fuel metering valve is a plunger style needle valve which reciprocates between a closed position, when the needle is seated in a valve seat along a sealing diameter to prevent fuel from escaping through a metering orifice disc into the combustion chamber, and an open position, where the needle is lifted from the valve seat, allowing fuel to discharge through the metering orifice for introduction into the combustion chamber.
Typically, the metering orifice disc includes a plurality of metering orifice openings which are directly below the needle and inward of the sealing diameter. This approach relies on a precise control of the distance between the end of the needle and the upstream surface of the metering orifice disc. Variations in needle geometry, sealing diameter, and lift of the needle can cause this critical dimension to change. Another approach to maintaining precise control of this dimension uses a multi-disc concept. However, this approach has the added complexity of orientation, delamination, and part handling.
It would be beneficial to develop a fuel injector in which a controlled precise geometry is created at the downstream surface of the valve seat to generate desired turbulence at the metering orifice openings.